Don’t Get Stressed By Christmas
Holidays like Christmas and special celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries can be a lot of fun and give us many wonderful memories. Memories of family get togethers, gatherings of friends, and special times with those you care about. Unfortunately, these “special” days often bring folks more stress than joy.
How many times have you received a gift from a friend or loved one that you really didn’t like? How many gifts have you used once if at all and then stuck back in a closet somewhere? Imagine all the money you and your friends and family have spent for useless, unwanted gifts.
Often gift giving has become a competition of sorts. Have you ever known…
Christmas At Mystical Aunt Amy’s
My two siblings and I always spent part of Christmas Eve at Aunt Amy’s… the most mystical woman I have ever known.
Aunt Amy’s wonderful white washed cottage, sat beside a brook. On the riverbank, a majestic weeping willow bowed its branches over her very special bench. This had been made as a memorial to her beautiful retriever, Lion King.
We always approached the cottage with the usual feelings of excitement and trepidation. As we knocked on Aunt Amy’s door, she was hardly ever there to greet us… the door just creaked open into a long, dark hallway, where the sound of ticking could be heard from a tall, solemn clock on the wall. Aunt…
Christmas Traditions From Around The World
December 25 is the day Christians celebrate as the birth of Jesus Christ… however, it is unknown when the birth actually happened, and the chances of it being in December are slim. December 25 was originally a pagan holiday in Babylonian times to herald the Son of the Goddess of Nature (Isis). It was celebrated with a huge feast and much merriment.
The standard Christmas traditions of the United States came from Great Britain. There is an interesting tale of the tradition of hanging stockings…. when Father Christmas came down the chimney, gold coins fell out of his pocket. A stocking that had been hung over the hearth to dry caught the coins… hence hanging…
The Origins of Santa Claus
HO HO HO
The battle cry of Christmas. Just where did Santa Claus come from? Why do most accounts have him living at the North Pole? Is there any truth to the stories of kind and generous souls who left gifts for children on Christmas Eve? Where did the reindeer come in, and why does he wear a red suit?
St. Nicholas, who was a Greek Orthodox bishop in the 4th century of what is now Turkey is one of the earliest ideas of what we now know as Santa Claus. He was a kind and generous soul who gave gifts and dowries to poor children. There is also the German god Odin, who led…
5 Top Christmas Tree Myths
Seems like there’s myths and urban legends about almost everything today and the Christmas tree hasn’t been left out. So many things have been said about live trees throughout the years that many consumers are confused about what is true and what is false. Here are 10 of the most common myths that might ease your mind about using a live Christmas tree.
1. Live Christmas trees are cut down in the nations forests.
While this myth is mostly false, it does have a little truth to it. There are a few locations where the Forest Service allows people to purchase a permit to cut a live tree. The trees are cut to create fire…
20 Interesting Facts About Live Christmas Trees
The Christmas tree is the center piece of the holiday decor. The sparkle of the lights and the shimmer of tinsel are favorite holiday memories of both children and adults alike. It’s a gathering place for family on that very special day of the year. But, there’s lots of interesting facts about Christmas trees that few people know.
*The first known decorated Christmas tree originated in Riga, Latvia in 1510.
*The commercial sale of Christmas trees began around 1850.
*The very first retail Christmas tree lot was in New York in 1851. It was started by Mark Carr.
*Christmas trees are grown in every state in the United States.
*Live Christmas trees are grown just…
Christmas Ghost in the Cathedral
In my family we always have and always will go to church on Christmas Eve. Now we go to church every week, but for the Christmas mass we go to a Cathedral in the city.
Where my family always sits there is a very fancy wood piece carved into the wall about 150 feet from us. I have never liked the church. It is so old, and don’t get me wrong, it really is beautiful, but I have always gotten a bad feeling by it.
When I was really little I thought I was seeing someone walking behind it. But all I could see was a shadow. I never pointed it out to my mom…